Legless table



July 2, 1940.

f-r. A. NUMMEY LEGLESS TABLE Filed Feb. l2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1940- T. A. NUMMEY 2,2U6,422

LEGLEss TABLE Filed Feb. 12, 1938 2 sheets-sheet A2 INVENTOR foM/:S L /UMMEH Patented July 2, 1940 pairs stares rATENT- orrics This invention relates to furniture, and an object thereof is to provide an article of furniture which comprises a table top `having as its supporting members benches or seats disposed at opposite sides thereof, the point and manner of support being such that ingress to and egress from said benches or seats are unobstructed.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of the character described above in which the table top is detachably coupled to or joined to the said benches or seats so as to permit of the ready assembly and disassembly of the members, the coupling being such that the table top is held firmly in place when assembled, While the same may be detached for storage purposes or otherwise, permitting the benches or seats to be used in the regular Way.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article ofthe character described above With receptacles or compartments conveniently located to the side and hand of `each of the occupants of the benches.

Still another object of the invention is to'provide an article of the character described above with means for detachably coupling .the table top to the receptacles or compartment, While a iurther object is to employ the'means for coupling the table top to the receptacles to form a partition for the receptacles to divide the same into tWo compartments, one for the use of each occupant.

And still another .object of the invention is to provide the benches with pivoted backs so that at the option of the users of the benches they may sit facing the table or away from it with their backs to the table.

The accompanying sheets of drawings illustrate the invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of my in vention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an arrangement in Which the benches are pivotally connected to the table tops at its corners;

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a different arrangement for coupling the table top to the benches;

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective of Fig. 6 of still another arrangement for coupling the table top` to the bench;

Fig. 8 is a detail in perspective of another arrangement for coupling the table top to` the bench, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing the backs of the benches pivotally attached -to the sides of the benches. l y

Referring to the iigures generally, except Fig. 5, the article of furniture constituting my invention comprises a tabletop I reinforced against Warp-y ing and saggingby planks 2, 3. Beneath the said planks are attached transverse beams Hand 5 10 which .carry the table top and which, in Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 inclusive, extend as indicated at 4a and 5a beyond the connes of the vtable top and restv upon the seats 'I, 'I' of the benches A, A at the center so that the `occupants may take their 15 places freely. In Figs. 6and 7 the beams terminate at the ed-ges of the table top, but there the ends of the beams are adapted to be coupled to a panel 8 forming a part of the receptacle carried by the seat.

It will be observed thatV the benches are provided with receptacles or compartments B, B, centrally disposed on the seats of the benches, these receptacles comprising each a bottom member 5b, and side members B, 8a. and 9 respectively, 25 to provide a general receptacle or compartment 6.

In Figs. 6 and 'l the Wall or member `8 of the receptacle is slotted and grooved in the manner shown and the end of the beam 4 (or 5) is provided With spaced blocks I6 and I6a. so that when 30 the said beam is coupled to -the member 8 the block IB Will slide into the groove I1 and the part of the 4beam between blocks I6 and Ita will .enter the slot Ha; the blocks I6 and Iiar Will then rmly embrace the parts of the member 8 adja- 35 cent the slot to prevent translational and lateral movement of the beam, and hence the table top.

In the constructions illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 the compartment Will be undivided, but when the article is made in accordance with the construc- 40 tion illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 inclusive, the said compartments 6 Will be divided by the beams 4 and 5 intol compartments 6a, 6a, to provide a compartment or receptacle "on each side of the beam, which compartments or receptacles are 45 conveniently at the sides ofthe occupants of th seats.

In the instance of Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 inclusive, the terminal ends of the beams (il and 5) are reduced to provide tongues 2U which enter slots IQ 50 in the back panel 9 of the receptacles, While next adjacent said tongues are blocks I8, '18, which act as stop or limiting means in one direction While blocks 2l, 2l, carried by the means at a point inward of the blocks I8, I8, act as a stop or limit- 55 ing means in the other direction, the blocks 2I, 2 I, being so placed that when the table top is cou'- pled by means of the beams 4 and 5 to the panels 8 or the panels 8 and 9, the said blocks will abut against the face of the member 8, the latter member being provided with a vertical slot 22 to receive the beam 4 (or 5) and the top thereof provided with seats 23 to accommodate the reinforcing plank 2.

Il, II are members which are attached to the tops of the partitioning portions of the beams.

Applicants modes of coupling or connecting the table top to the benches are illustrative only of some of the ways this may be effectively accomplished, but it is understood that the present invention is not limited to these or other modes of joining the component units together, the scope of the invention being regarded as extensive as the appended claims.

The form of the bench is not necessarily confined lto those disclosed in the drawings. The

supporting members I2, I2, for the benches A, A,

may be other than'in the form shown, and may take the form |20, illustrated in Fig. 10.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the part I3 for supporting the back of the occupant comprises a pair of vertical members I3, I3, each pivoted at I5 to the supporting members I2a of the bench therein shown, and passing through a slot I4 in the seat 'I of the bench, whereby the said back may be swung from one side of the seat to the other to `permit the occupants to reverse their positions with respect to the table top. 'I'he upright members I3, I3 in Figs. 9 and 10 carry the back board IU While in the other views the backboard is attached to the supporting members I2, I2.

Instead of the receptacles comprising a bottom member, front and back and lateral members, the said receptacles may employ the seat as the bottom member and the back of the benches as the back member of the receptacles.

Hinges I2', I2 are employed to securely join the seats 'I, 'I to the supporting members I2, I2 oi the benches, and hinges 5c, 5c to securely connect the panel of side members 8a of the receptacles B, B to the bottom member 5b of the said receptacles.

top,

Fig. 5 shows a table top I with benches 1, I arranged parallel with its sides. The corners of the table top are provided with sockets I2d which are adapted to receive the upstanding ends I2b of the member I2c extending from the bench 1 at one end thereof, which arrangement permits, as shown, the benches to be swung away and toward the table I2b-I 2d as the pivot.

While the various main views show the article of4 furniture as comprising a table top and four benches, it is not intended to limit the invention to that extent, since the invention is applicable to an article of furniture comprising a table top and two benches and more than four.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1s:

1. An article of furniture comprising a table a horizontal beam carrying the same, benches disposed at opposite sides of the table top, and receptacles carried on the seats of said benches, said receptacles comprising side, rear and Afront panel members, the front panel members of which are slotted and receiving respectively the T-shaped outer portions of said beams.

2. An article of furniture comprising la table top, a horizontal beam carrying the same and extending lbeyond the margins thereof, benches disposed at opposite sides of the table top, and receptacles carried on the seats centrally thereof said receptacles comprising side, rear and front panel members, said front panel member being slotted and receiving the beam and said beam extending to the rear panel and forming a partition for .the receptacle so to divide the latter into two compartments and means to secure the beam to the receptacle.

3. In combination, a tabletop carried by transverse beams, benches surrounding said table top, and receptacles carried by the seats of said benches,-said receptacles being slotted to receive said beams which latter extend to the rear of the receptacles so as to form a partition for the said neceptacles` to provide two compartments and means to secure the beam to the receptacles.

THOMAS A. 

